Dirty Harry (1971) Review

"You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?'  Well, do ya, punk?"
-Harry Callahan



The citizens of San Francisco start dropping dead at the hands of the Scorpio Killer (Andy Robinson).  Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is put on the case and he's willing to do anything to put a stop to the killer and doesn't care much about the law.


What Works:

This is one of Clint Eastwood's most iconic roles and I completely understand why.  Harry Callahan is an awesome character and extremely easy to root for.  He's so cool and badass.  He's effortlessly competent and makes for a great anti-hero.  If you think about it, Harry is a pretty messed up guy.  He tortures a suspect for information, he violates tons of laws, and is someone who probably shouldn't be a cop, but Eastwood makes this guy so likable that you can't help but root for him even as he commits morally questionable acts.

Andy Robinson is incredible as the Scorpio Killer.  It's a completely unhinged performance and he manages to match Eastwood in intensity.  He's cunning, cruel, and crazy.  It's an excellent combination and a match-up for the ages.

This movie is dark.  Unapologetically dark and I appreciate the film for that.  Kids die at the hands of the Scorpio Killer.  One even gets buried alive.  This film doesn't hold back and creates a massive sense of danger.  Nobody is safe.  When the Scorpio Killer takes a bus full of kids hostage, it's extremely intense.  He's killed kids before.  He would have no problem taking out a whole bus full.

Dirty Harry created a lot of the tropes we've seen in cop movies.  Stopping a bank robbery in badass fashion and stopping a suicidal person from jumping off a building.  We've seen these tropes a million times, but they all come back to this film and it does them well.

Finally, the 3rd act is insane and a lot of fun.  I wasn't expecting Harry to jump from a bridge onto a moving school bus to rescue the kids, but it happens.  It's an awesome sequence that leads to a thrilling chase through a quarry and the final showdown between Harry and Scorpio.  It's an excellent ending to an excellent film.


What Sucks:

I got nothing for you.


Verdict:

Dirty Harry is one of the best cop movies ever made and deserves all of the praise it receives.  It basically created a whole genre of movies, the lead actors are incredible, the story is dark, and the 3rd act is a blast.  Without question, this movie has got it going on.

 10/10: Amazing 

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